StarWars FanFic, Jedi Prophecies: Dark Hours

                         Star Wars: Jedi Prophecies- Dark Hours…
Original Story By: B.T. Smith
Star Wars Universe by: George Lucas.

            Dramatis Personae:
Acen Zedel; Jedi Knight (Lorrdian male)
Oth Selles; Jedi Master (Zabrak male)
Celess Teeina; Jedi Knight (Human female)
Sakai Arashi; Jedi Master (Mirialan male)
Sarna Truen; Jedi Knight ("Hybrid" Falleen female)
Mer-Lian; Imperial Inquisitor (Chagrian male)
Naell Dun; Imperial Captain, Pursuance (Kiffar male)

Prologue
Four years after the rise and founding of the Galactic Empire [approximately 15 years before Episode IV: A New Hope] A group of Jedi hide among a group of Colonists on the previously uninhabited world of Talasea, in the Morobe system.

"Why must we wait here again?" the young Celess questioned out loud.
The Jedi Knight sitting beside her sighed out loud in irritation "Because, this is how Master operates; only two Jedi in town at one time, the others must train here in the Twilight cavern."
Celess nodded her head as she tried to follow the logic. "Okay… but why does it have to be in a cold, dank, not to mention dark cave!?" Celess pouted.
The Jedi beside her clenched her fist and then relaxed herself. "The walls of this cavern act as a buffer to force energy; so we can train with lightsabers, and practice our connection to the force without worry that imperial hunters would spot us, now do you understand young one…" She hissed softly at the end. "Now no more talking, you should have been meditating, and trying to find the answers to all your questions from within…"
"Yes, Master Truen…" She frowned as she didn't understand why the Jedi beside her seemed so… irritated and distant.
Truen's body tensed and then relaxed, "You can just call me Sarna, no need to call me a Master or use my last name…"
"Oh…" Celess paused for a minute and thought about Jedi protocol and procedure, "Yes Master Sarna, sorry I mean Sarna…"
For a minute Sarna just stared at Celess. Celess feeling uneasy moved slightly as if trying to reposition herself. The entire squirming session of Celess made Sarna chuckle. "Don't worry about it Celess." Sarna closed her eyes and went back to meditating.
Celess relaxed bit as the air in the cave seemed to relax, it was open and free. "Sorry Sarna, this is the first time we have been here together, I mean normally I'm here with Master Selles or occasionally Master Zedel."
Sarna's agitation returned. "Wait you've been here; alone, with Acen? I mean Master Zedel…" Celess nodded her head. Sarna started muttering to herself, barely audible "That's not fair I haven't been here training with Zedel yet…"
"Sarna?" Celess looked at Sarna as her face had turned to shades of red…
"What is it?" Sarna broke off her thoughts and looked at Celess and then frowned.
"Shouldn't we be meditating like you said?" Celess turned her head to the side a bit and pondered at Sarna.
"Oh… right, yes we should Celess…" Sarna stammered out her answer. The two Jedi's sat there in the dim glittering light of the cave, as their small electrical camp light basked a light glow on the sides of their faces.
***
"Acen…" A tired and weary Zabrakian looked out from under the overhang he slept under.
"Yes Master?" A man with a long spike of a ponytail walked over from a cliff of to the side. The Jedi Master stared at his former student, remembering past trials and adventures, all the time watching the young Lorrdian before him grow up and become a Jedi Knight, one of the last to pass the trials.  "Master Selles?" The Lorrdian questioned the Zabrakian again.
Oth Selles sighed as he sat up "Sorry Acen, I was thinking on how proud I am of you, my last student."
"Last? Master what about Celess?" Acen looked slightly confused.
"Celess is your student, I know you will train her well, but there is another thing, I want you to promise me."
"Yes Master what is it?" Acen's undivided attention was given to his former Master.
"Whatever happens in the coming days, I want you to stay here, stay under this overhang." Master Selles looked around him and sighed "I am sorry for situation we are all in" Master Selles got up and walked out of the overhang and starred at the village down below and then up into the sky.
"Yes Master, and the situation? Master do you mean the Empire or do you mean the Jedi Hunt?"
"Both." Master Selles answered as both Jedi's attention were drawn to the skies above them…
 

Chapter One

"Been placed before you, this path has, yours alone, the choice is…"
- Jedi Grand Master, Yoda.

Above the skies of the colonist village on Talasea a Star Destroyer loomed, a shuttle left the Pursuance's hanger bay along with two escorting Tie fighters. The inhabitants stopped their daily chores and watched the skies above as tie fighters flew overhead, disrupting the farmers and startling their farm animals. Only the kids of the colony continued to play, un-aware of the dread their father and mother's felt.
"Where are the Jedi, they will protect us… Won't they Elder?" A farmer asked the Village Elder Ashmuin Ahosk. The villagers in the Elders house all expressed their fears and dread.
Another famer chimed in; "Yes they must it's their duty!"
Elder Ashmuin shook his head. "We could not ask for them to do that, if the empire found the Jedi here, they would be exterminated. We can't allow them to be killed. They have done so much for us here, in constructing our homes and helping tend to our sick, both the animals and our children. No we will do nothing that indicates we have Jedi hidden here. The Empire will find little in the ways of war here, or anything that might be considered contraband."
Ashmuin spoke and turned his chair around looking out a large window watching the shuttle slowly make its descent in the middle of the town. "Hmm, I wonder which emissary it is this time… we have nothing here the Empire wants, no great exportable material on this planet." The villagers all stood silently as Ashmuin played with his beard, pondering…
Some of the villagers got anxious and started fidgeting "What if the empire is here for the Jedi? What if they found out about them! We could be killed for harboring them!"
"I don't want to die, I mean the Jedi have helped us but…" Another villager murmured, several villagers nodded in agreement as others stayed silent or others shook their heads in displeasure.
The Elder swung around in his chair looking furious "So, you are suggesting we give the Jedi up to the Empire as if we had not even known they were here to save our own skins, even if we don't even need saving! Not to mention forsaking those whom have helped us and have in turn asked for our help!? That does not sit well with me, I hope none of you are that foolish to believe if we give up the Jedi that the Empire would just let us be."
"But, Elder…"
"No, no buts, there is nothing you can use to convince me, and besides we don't even know what our "guests" want." Ashmuin got up out of his chair, and strode calmly out of his office, "I suggest you farmers get back to your fields or whatever other work you must attend too." With that Ashmuin walked down the stairs before his office and headed for the back door. On the way he passed Master Selles.

"Ah, Master Oth good to see you are back in the village, where is your former student? Isn't he supposed to be with you?" Ashmuin clasped hands with Master Oth Selles.
"Yes, but I sent him away on a mission, more importantly will this be a problem?" Master Selles asked Ashmuin, looking at the villagers leaving out the front of Ashmuin's house. Ashmuin fixed his shirt and patted out the wrinkles in his clothes trying to make his appearance more appropriate.
Ashmuin thought for a minute before answering; "I don't think so, the villagers wouldn't give you and your students up, they maybe fickle like the wind or love but they take care of their own, and to them, you and yours are like family. No, the problem is whoever is on the shuttle... It's not inspection time so it must be someone new…"
"I was thinking the same thing, but I don't think you should keep your distinguished guest waiting, they just landed." Master Selles furrowed his brow.
"Something wrong Master Oth?" Ashmuin looked at Master Selles with concern.
"I don't know, I sense a disturbance in the Force, but I can't place it. I will remain here and meditate on it, and hide if I must. Good luck Ashmuin." Master Selles bowed, and Ashmuin returned the respectful gesture and then walked out the front door. Ashmuin walked down the stair before his home and then headed to the large circular village center.
When Ashmuin reached the village center he noticed a few Stormtroopers carrying a few crates, when one of the crates was opened two "Dark eye" probe droids hovered away and started going through the village. Curiously the other crates were opened and metal parts were taken out but no more probe droids hovered away. There was a group of Stormtroopers in formation ten from what Ashmuin could count, and a tall blue alien shouting at them before they broke off into teams of two.
Ashmuin walked forward. "You're not Emissary Vosh'a, we had already had a visit and inspection, and you will find no contra band here. We are a simple farming community."
"Indeed I am not, and you are acting suspicious already and we just got here. So I assume you are the village elder, you look as if you are going to fall over, old man. I can bring something for you to sit on over here if you require, I am Mer-Lian, an Emissary of sorts…"
"No I do not need anything to sit on and what do you mean "an Emissary of sorts"" Ashmuin looked around as he noticed majority of the villagers were being corralled like animals. The Stormtroopers didn't seem to be using any obvert force though a few did destroy some pots alongside the villagers homes.  
 "Just simply that, I am an Emissary but not the one of this system, I travel to every system searching for rebels, or dissenters." Mer-Lian looked around as the troopers blocked every path leading from the villages center, the few Troopers at the shuttle were still fidgeting with crates and stuff on the ground.
Ashmuin watched the Troopers by the Shuttle with a beginning since of dread, he noticed that the town center was full and that his fellow villagers were for the most part behind him, or off to one side. "What is it that you want Emissary Mer-Lian, we are a poor people and like I said before you won't find any contraband. We are certainly not dissenters or rebels either."
"Oh you are so certain you are not rebels hmm… We will see. We will all wait here until the droids come back, yes, that seems like a good idea." Mer-Lian pulled out a little data-pad and started entering commands, reading the data before him and thinking out loud. Ashmuin watched his now captor as there was nothing he could do but stand before him. The villagers all murmured behind their Elder.
A few kids in the background began to cry as they wanted to go off and play. A villager or two whispered back and forth, and couple would sigh or even hummed. The air was filled with tension, anxiety, and dread.  Ashmuin continued to watch the overly calm and arrogant Chagrian "Emissary". Thirty minutes go by and many of the villagers have begun to sit down, a few crowded around their Village Elder.
"What are we waiting for Elder Ahosk?" A middle-aged female asked Ashmuin,
"We are waiting on, whatever he is waiting on," Ashmuin replied to the villager nodding his head toward Mer-Lian.
"Do we even know what that is?" Another villager asked the Elder.
"Not a clue my young friend…" Ashmuin clasped his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Don't worry; there is nothing here for them to find I am sure we won't be here much longer."
A Stormtrooper walked up to Mer-Lian and saluted him before continuing. "Sir, no contraband or weapons of any kind have been found." The Stormtrooper saluted again before walking away back into the village.  
"Ah Village Elder, I have a question for you…" The "Emissary" asked looking into the eyes of Ashmuin. Ashmuin looked right back at Mer-Lian not flinching.
"What is it, hmm, Mer-Lian" Ashmuin hesitated before continuing. "What is your question? I overheard your trooper, and like I told you before there isn't anything here for you to find."
"Curious. Do you know if any of your people here are Force-sensitive? There seems to be something not in order with the readings I am getting." Mer-Lian looked at his data-pad and then up at Ashmuin.
"No, none of my people are "Force-Sensitive" our people have no record of ever having anyone that had a connection of the Force, in the manner of which you speak." Ashmuin stared down the man.
"Hmm, curious than why do I keep getting high spikes in my data? There must be a Force user somewhere nearby, but that would mean you are harboring a Jedi, and that would make you… a rebel. Harboring Jedi's is a crime of Treason. If I might remind you, you said you weren't hiding anything and were rebels… Correct?" Mer-Lian looked genuinely perplexed. "I hope you weren't lying to me…"
"If we were hiding a Jedi the Jedi would have left, or killed you all by now, I think. No your instruments are either malfunctioning, you're getting readings of yourself, or there are nexuses of Force around here such as the mountain over there" Ashmuin points to a mountain range in the distance, in the opposite direction of where the Jedi are hiding.
"Hmm;" Mer-Lian thinks before continuing "That all could be possible although highly unlikely. But how do you know if I am a force user or not?" Mer-Lian looks at the Village Elder before him with keen curiosity.
"Many things tell me that, I have been around I am quite old." Ashmuin responded back.
"Yes you are quite old, ha." Mer-Lian started to laugh. He stopped laughing after a minute. "That didn't answer my question at least not fully Elder. How do you know I can use the force?" Mer-Lian loomed over the Elder.
"You carry a light sword; only those with the force can use them, those that have tried who don't have the ability or connection to the force end up severing a limb or killing themselves…" Ashmuin responded trying not to express his growing irritation, while he continued to watch the Storm Troopers behind Mer-Lian with growing dread. "I served in the Clone Wars; I saw and fought alongside republic forces so I saw Jedi use them, that's how I know who can and who can't use them."
Mer-Lian hummed as he thought and then nodded his head in agreement to Ashmuin. "Your point is well made and that explains why you think I can use force powers…" Mer-Lian pulls out a Lightsaber and turns it on before swinging it around. "But that doesn't account for why the rest of the villagers here aren't so surprised at seeing the Lightsaber."
"So? Many people here have heard the stories and tales of the Clone Wars, a few people here fought in them as well, on either side…" Ashmuin scratches his neck and looks back at his people. "One could easily imagine how they would not be awestruck except for maybe a child or two. I re-iterate we have nothing here that you want, and definitely not enough food to support your Destroyer full of soldiers and officers." Ashmuin looked back at Mer-Lian and the troops now forming closer around the villagers. "I must then ask; why are you still here? Especially when there is nothing here…"
"Nothing here," Mer-Lian rubs his face and sighed deeply "nothing here then; so you won't co-operate, I gave you a way out to resolve you and your people… no I seriously doubt that there is nothing here in fact I know you Elder are lying. My informant has told me, pleaded for his life with sincerity that there is a Master Jedi hiding here, and that you and your people are willingly aiding an a bedding a fugitive. You are all under arrest for treason." Mer-Lian turned around and turned his Lightsaber off as storm troopers started to grab villagers.
"Wait! What informant!? He was lying obviously! There are no Jedi among us here!" Ashmuin shouted above all the screams and cries of his people behind him. The villagers not grabbed initially scattered, some of them had over powered a cornered Storm trooper and blaster shots where going off, a dead Storm trooper lie on the ground, and a few dead villagers also were on the ground.
"You despicable Imperial tool, tyrants the whole lot of you!" Ashmuin let out his anger for the first time in almost a decade. He ran forward drawing a dagger attempting to stab Mer-Lian, the director of this imperial designed destruction. Mer-Lian stepped to the side, express agility lost on the old man. Mer-Lian leapt further away to the side as Ashmuin's linear attack brought him to the dread before his reality. Ashmuin's eyes widened as he saw the Storm Troopers he had watched earlier had finished erecting two cannon turrets. It was the last thing he saw…
"Destroy the village, leave no one alive" Mer-Lian walked off after giving his commands to the Troopers. He felt the force well around the town in appalled anger; Mer-Lian knew his search was ending here. Mer-Lian killed a villager with his staff before a blue Lightsaber cut his staff in half.
"Finally the great wise Jedi shows himself… such a coward using villagers as a shield and not helping them when they needed it." Mer-Lian held his hand up by his head "I can hear the fires rage, and the screams of innocents that you have murdered because of your hesitation."
"The coward is the man who used the villagers as bait, who enables the destruction of a village just to find one man…" Master Selles pulled his Lightsaber up into a defensive position.
"Cryptic as always, willing to sacrifice many for your one life, you Jedi are Vile!" Mer-Lian detached the end of his staff, separating the Lightsaber it held. His yellow blade hummed and sparks jumped out when he hit Master Selles's blue Lightsaber. Mer-Lian continued to aggressively attack Master Selles as the battle raged around them, many dead or dying villagers were strewn about the village as Storm Troopers blasted the remnants. The cannons back at the village center shot volleys into all directions, decimating homes and those unlucky souls caught in its sights.
Mer-Lian drove Master Selles through-out the village as their Lightsabers continued to clash, they hummed low compared to the devastation surrounding them. Master Selles tried to protect some villagers by blocking and returning some blaster shots towards a Storm Trooper but another had thrown a thermal detonator, wiping out their existence in an instant. The death toll rose as Master Selles and Mer-Lian continued to duel. In the Force, Master Selles could feel the anger rising in his former student.
"Remember what was taught to you," Master Selles spoke out as he thrust his Lightsaber forward barely being blocked by Mer-Lian. "Anger is the beginning to the path of the dark side… only more pain will result." Master Selles drove his attacker forward back to the center of the village, while on his way he cut a Storm Trooper in half. "Calm is the only way to combat this Tyranny…"
"What in the name of the good Empire are you going on about…" Mer-Lian couldn't get many words out as he fought against a revitalized Jedi Master. Master Selles held his anger in check. He had to find a way to calm his former students seething rage. He realized the newest atrocities committed by the Empire could push his former student down a path of darkness and there was only one way to end it.
"I have taught you well. You must learn to let go, when the time comes… Or I fear the dark side will win you over." Master Selles force pushed barrels into the two cannons by the ship destroying the turrets and the Troopers there while simultaneously blocking a downward slash by Mer-Lian.
"Okay old Jedi you're starting to irritate me!" Mer-Lian rushed forward in a rage unseen attacking Master Selles with strike after strike, slash after slash. "Why won't you stand still you accursed Jedi!!!" Mer-Lian clasped both his hands onto his Lightsaber and thrust forward.
"Good Bye Acen." Master Selles whispered too low for Mer-Lian to understand but Acen Zedel who watched through his binoculars from his cliff hold was left wide eyed. His anger and building rage was washed away by a quiet and respectful sorrow.
Master Selles dropped his guard just enough for the thrust Mer-Lian committed to sneak by and stab him in the chest. "Ha, ha… No Jedi can stand up to mighty justice of the Empire!" Mer-Lian Kicked the dying Jedi Master away.
"Justice?" Master Selles coughed a little blood up. "Both you and your Empire will share the same fate…" With that his last breath Master Selles died.
Mer-Lian surveyed the village. "No one left alive… Good job captain." He looked at a Storm Trooper to his left.
"Thank you Sir! However because of the fighting our unit was cut to just a third of its initial strength." The Trooper looked around shook his head.
"Don't worry we can claim it was all the Jedi's fault." Mer-Lian spoke with a hint of hatred.
"You don't like them do you Sir?" The Trooper boldly asked Mer-Lian
"No I don't all these people could have been spared if they had given up the Jedi, or if the Jedi turned himself in, but like a vile coward he let them be his shield." Mer-Lian shook his head in disgust and then spat on the ground near the Jedi.
"Our orders then Sir?" The Trooper straightened his back and held his arms to his side.
"Release the farm animals, set fire to all the buildings not yet on fire, post guards through-out the village in case some villagers were out in the fields or the forest. A ship will come for you tomorrow." Mer-Lian looked around and then looked at the dead Jedi with a quizzical look.
"Yes Sir!" The Trooper saluted Mer-Lian and then ran off and gave directions to the remaining Troopers. Mer-Lian walked off to the shuttle and returned back to the Star Destroyer in low orbit.
The curtain of night fell  as part of the village continued to burn, the Troopers not on guard or resting had begun to pile up the dead into pyres on the side  closest to the mountains. The occasional bird or chit chat among the Troopers were the only noise being made.
"This was relatively easy, if it weren't for that Jedi I think we wouldn't have lost so many…" A Trooper was making idol talk while walking on the outskirt of the village with another Trooper.
"I suppose so, the Jedi are so troublesome but there are so few and most hide I don't understand why we have to hunt them down…" The other Trooper looked off to the right. As a small rock rolled down off a hill.
"Wait, what was that." Both Troopers walked over and investigated the rock and the hill but saw nothing. "I guess it was nothing…"
A figure dropped down off of the cliff above them. "Wait, what was that?" The Troopers turned around as a Lightsaber was turned on and a Green blade hummed. "A Jedi!? Report it quickly." The Jedi before them quickly cut one of the troopers in half and took of the others head with one swipe. The caped figure pulled the two Troopers and their body parts up beyond the hill before two new Troopers came around.
"I could have sworn I heard a scream from over here…" The one Trooper looked around.
"I don't  think so it could have been an animal call or just the wind." The Trooper shrugged his shoulders. "Come on we have to continue."
"Alright" The other Trooper shook his head and sighed before continuing on their patrol. The caped Jedi peered over the hill and watched them. In the darkness, flames flickered on his face revealing his scared gray right eye and his normal green left eye. The Jedi got off the Hill and followed the patrol quietly. He ducked out down a road when they began to turn around. Silently he waited for them to pass, his black and brown clothing aided him in hiding. He continued on into the village using his Jedi agility and speed to run past several Troopers.
"This is a little too easy." Acen spoke inside his head as he moved over to his Master's body. "Master," Acen sighed in soft filled sorrow as he looked for the last time upon his Master's face. "I will keep my promise…" Acen then took the two pouches his master had on his belt, he also took his master's Lightsaber and the holocron necklace he had. Acen bowed before his master then ran off into the darkness from where he came.


Chapter Two
[Lorrd]
"If revenge you seek, the dark side, fall, you will…"
- Yoda.

"Acen! Acen… what was that horrible feeling?" Sarna asked Acen when he got back to the cave where Sarna and Celess were staying.
Acen took a moment to consider how he would word his answer. "It was a disturbance in the force…"
"Where is Master Selles, Master Zedel?" Celess looked around and didn't notice Master Selles.
"He's…"
"Dead." Sarna finished Acen's words… "What about the villagers Acen?" Sarna asked.
"Them too, it was the Empire, one of their inquisitors they have found us so we have to leave here now." Acen grabbed his bag.
"What took you so long to get here? I mean Celess and I felt the horrid disturbance yesterday… I… We were worried." Sarna put her hands on her sides and stared down Acen.
"I had to get this;" Acen holds a Holocron chained to a necklace. "It was Master Selles, I couldn't leave it to be picked up by the Imperials. Fortunately the Inquisitor didn't strip him of it before he decided to go back to the Star Destroyer in orbit. Not to mention I had to come back here while it was dark." Acen went through his bag and grabbed all his stuff from the cave. He deposited the holocron and his Master's Lightsaber into the bag.
"if we are leaving what about my training?" Celess spoke up after the brief silence.
"I promised Master Selles I would finish your training Celess." Acen went through the two bags he took off Master Selles and split the contents up.
"What!" Sarna spoke up in outrage.
"What! Really!?" Celess's excitement over shrouded Sarna's displeasure.
"Why Acen!? She's learned enough for her to be on her own." Sarna pushes the issue forward, continuing to put her feelings into the moment.
"We only have two ships Sarna, she can't go on her own you know better, be mindful of your feelings. I promised Master, I would train Celess. On top of that I feel better knowing you are going on your own then if it was Celess. You are a Jedi Knight, Celess isn't there yet."  Acen implored Sarna before he continued to pack items and rearranging them in his pack.
"Really?" Sarna lightly blushed at the compliment then thought for a minute. "Wait, you rather go with Celess than Me? We came to this planet together why can't we leave together!?" Sarna turned the thought over in her head.
"It's not a matter of who I would rather go with Sarna, I made a promise to Master Selles, and I fully intend to keep it. We three can't travel together it would be too risky. Besides while I'm training her I want you to keep an eye out on the inquisitor; he's a force wielding Chagrian, you won't be able to miss him." Acen looked at Sarna with pleading eyes.
"Why would you want me to keep an eye on him? Tracking him… That sounds like the beginning of revenge…" Sarna melted slightly to his eyes.
"It's not revenge its justice. Sarna, he deserves to be dealt the same justice he believes he deals. All I want is for you to be mindful but please stay out of trouble." Acen looked around before throwing a brown pouch at Sarna. She quickly and effortlessly caught it.
"What's this?"
"It's a pouch of crystals for your Lightsaber and some coin bars, and the bars might be older currency but most worlds will accept them as they are more real than credits." Acen smiled at Sarna. "Get your stuff ready. You too Celess." Sarna nodded and went to get her pack ready.
"Yes, Master." Celess nodded and ran off to her corner of the Cave.
"Who's getting what ship?" Sarna came back carrying her pack on her shoulder. In a second between the pause a pot of water shatters and rocks and some pans hit along the floor in a mixture of chimes. Both Acen and Sarna look over near Celess to see chaos and destruction, Celess is lying on her face with her rear in the air. She quickly stumbles to her feet.
"Sorry! Forgive my clumsiness Master." Celess looks pathetically apologetic as she tries to clean up the mess she just committed. Both her master and Sarna can only shake their heads. Acen put a hand on his face while he shook his head at Celess.
"Any ways, who is getting what ship Acen?" Sarna went back to her question. She pushed him lightly as he was still shaking his head.
"What… oh right Sorry Sarna, was just thinking on how much work it's going to take. As for ships I figure since there are two in my group I'll take Master's ship, and give you ours for keeps. It seems to like you more anyways…" Acen looked away and then back at Sarna.
"Okay that sounds fair, so there really is no way of getting you to come with me?" Sarna stood with her weight on one side, her arms crossed. She looked uncomfortable and Acen easily picked up on it.
Acen was a Lorrdian; his peoples over a thousand years ago were slaves on their own planet. Their former masters forbade them from verbal communication so the Lorrdians created their own language out of facial expressions and gestures. Though his people are free now they have kept their unique language and have become masters of body expression able to read others based solely on posture and gestures.
Acen put his hand on Sarna's left shoulder. "Cheer up Sarna, we all will meet after a year's time, I promise." Acen shook his head in a move of sincerity.
Sarna rested a bit and lowered her arms; "One year? You think she'll be good by then?" They both looked at Celess in time to watch her trip over her bag and land on her sleeping pad. Acen sighed heavily. "I hope so, for all of our sakes."
"Where are we going to meet then in one year? Sarna stared at Acen.
Celess came running over in her hyper state and broke Sarna from her induced day dream. "I'm all ready Master!" Celess pulled up to the two Jedi's carrying her pack and dragging another one.
"Celess" Acen looked puzzled by his student.
"Yes Master?" Celess stopped just before him and looked into his eyes with her big innocent eyes.
"What's with the second pack…"Acen looked at the pack she was dragging and then looked at Celess waiting for an answer.
"It's all of Master Selles stuff, I thought it be better to put it on his ship and not leave it here… just in case."
"In case what?" Sarna stared at Celess then looked at Acen with a curious look.
"You know, in case that Imperial guy finds here, we won't leave any trace behind, and nothing for him to clue in on where we are going." Celess looked at Sarna and her Master with a big smile. Acen put his hands to his chin and thought for a minute. Both Sarna and Acen agreed with Celess.
"Good thinking my padawan, Acen patted her head and messed her messy hair even more"
"Master stop that leave my hair alone…" Celess tried to shrug Acen's hand off and started frowning at him as he and Sarna started laughing.
"Okay, okay I'll stop; we need to get to the ships anyways." Acen took his hand off Celess's head and picked up his pack. All three of them nodded and they left the cave on the opposite end. They walked down a carved hall and continued down the hallway until they came out into a large cavern.
"Which one are we taking?" Celess looked at her Master.
"We're taking the Arca Knight, the bigger one, it's a corel-"
Acen was cut off by Celess, "I know it's a Corellian YT-1000 Transport Freighter. Master Selles brought me here on it." Celess started walking off to the entrance ramp.
"So I get to keep our old ship? The Blatant Ruse…" Sarna looked at the aging Cloakshape fighter ship.
"Mhm, it's all yours Sarna. That thing has gotten us out of a lot so take care of it." Acen looked at it and then looked away.
"We never finished the discussion, where are we going to meet in a year?" Sarna was still looking at the old fighter before Acen answered. He walked over to Sarna and gave her an abrupt hug.
"We'll meet on Ord Fren, in the mining city of Athalan. Celess and I will take off first so you can sneak way. Please be careful there are so few of us now."